Control Resonant returns players to Remedy Entertainment's unique blend of the mundane and the eldritch, but this time shifts the focus from the confined, oppressive halls of the Oldest House to a fractured, reality-bending Manhattan. While the game excels in crafting its signature uncanny atmosphere and presents a visually stunning world, it struggles under the weight of repetitive combat and an overabundance of open-world filler.
A City Unraveled
Players step into the shoes of Dylan Faden, brother to Control protagonist Jesse Faden. Awakened from a seven-year coma by Jesse herself, Dylan is thrust into a world where interdimensional forces are tearing New York City apart. The Federal Bureau of Control (FBC), reeling from its director's disappearance and the escalating crisis, finds itself relying on Dylan, who has a complex and violent past with the organization. This premise sets the stage for a narrative that delves into family dynamics and the FBC's increasingly desperate struggle for control.
Remedy's talent for environmental storytelling is on full display. The city of Manhattan is reimagined as a surreal maze of impossible architecture and physics. Streets twist into cliff faces, buildings spiral into the sky, and familiar urban landscapes are reconfigured by alien logics. This visual spectacle is breathtaking, offering a densely detailed world that invites exploration. Traversal abilities, including floating, air-dashing, and gravity manipulation, make navigating this warped cityscape an engaging experience.
Combat Lacks Punch
Where Control Resonant falters is in its combat. Dylan wields the Aberrant, a shape-shifting melee weapon that can transform into various forms such as a hatchet, scythe, or hammer. While the concept allows for variety, the execution proves to be a significant drawback. Basic attacks often lack impact, requiring players to stack temporary damage bonuses by staggering and executing lesser enemies to make significant progress against heavier foes. This loop leads to prolonged encounters that quickly become a chore.
The game introduces skill trees and combat abilities that offer some depth, allowing for builds focused on critical hits or crowd control. However, even with these options, the core combat feels uninspired and fails to deliver the satisfying weight expected from an action game. Boss fights offer more engaging challenges, but the extensive hours of generic enemy encounters dilute the overall experience. Inconsistent auto-targeting and damage buff management further complicate the combat, leading to frustrating moments where abilities miss their intended targets or damage bonuses are wasted.
A World of Detail, Drowned in Busywork
Despite its combat shortcomings, Control Resonant's world-building remains a strong point. The narrative effectively portrays the FBC as an organization on the back foot, forced to operate openly amidst the escalating crisis. The voice acting is a standout, with a cast that delivers performances filled with believable exhaustion and desperation. Dylan, as a protagonist, offers a compelling, if tragic, lens through which to explore the FBC's actions and the consequences of its paranatural pursuits.
However, the game's open-world structure often leads to excessive busywork. Dylan's progression system can feel confused, with a surplus of upgrade materials and talent points that often have few interesting applications. This encourages players to engage in combat encounters they might have otherwise avoided, simply to keep pace with escalating enemy levels. While the world is visually rich and filled with deliberate environmental details, the emphasis on repetitive side activities and combat can overshadow the intriguing narrative and atmospheric design.
Verdict
Control Resonant is a visually stunning and atmospherically rich experience that captures the unique charm of the Control universe. Remedy's environmental artistry and narrative depth are as strong as ever. Unfortunately, the game is significantly hampered by its repetitive and uninspired combat, alongside an open-world structure that too often relies on busywork rather than engaging gameplay. While players looking to immerse themselves in Remedy's peculiar world may find something to enjoy, the repetitive combat loop may prove too significant an obstacle for many.
A copy of Control Resonant was provided for this review.